Reckless...the way I wanna be!

"But he said, 'Why all this weeping? You are breaking my heart! I am ready not only to be jailed at Jerusalem but even to die for the sake of the LORD Jesus.' When is was clear that we couldn't persuade him, we gave up and said, 'The LORD's will be done.'" ~ Acts 21:13-14

Paul, a man who was passionate about everything he did. One who, as a Jew and Pharisee, zealously persecuted Christians and then after an encounter with Jesus he became even more zealous about sharing the light of the Gospel with everyone, no matter the cost. Here is Paul, at Caesarea by the Sea, on his way to Jerusalem. Several of the believers there sensed in the Spirit that danger awaited Paulin Jerusalem and tried to persuade him not to go. Then a prophet, Agabus, arrives and prophesies that Paul would be bound and mistreated by the Romans and once again everyone pleads with him to stay. What does Paul do? He says, "Stop it! You're breaking my heart! But there is nothing that will keep me from fulfilling my purpose, not even death. I embrace suffering and death if it means that I can build God's kingdom!"

WOW! What a man of passion! Nothing in this world could stop Paul once his course was set. Just look at his list of experiences: received 39 lashes with a whip 5 times, beaten with rods 3 times, stoned once, shipwrecked 3 times, spent a day drifting in the open Sea, etc. etc. The words unstoppable come to mind, as well as reckless. Whatever the cost, whatever the distance, whatever it takes, Paul was willing to lay it all on the line and considered joy. How I wish and pray that my life would be the same! I pray that I too would have a reckless faith, a sense of calling and purpose, a burning passion and burden to share the love of Christ no matter what it takes. No one enjoys pains, but a faithful disciple of Jesus wants above all else to please God. Our desire to please God should overshadow our desire to avoid hardship and suffering. When we really want to do God's will, we must accept all that comes with it, even pain and death. Lord may it be so, not only in my life, but in the life of every true disciple!